Statements

Today at about 11.00 a.m. personnel of the Delhi Police Special Cell who claimed to be acting under the oral instructions of their superior officers, forced their way into Prof SAR Geelani's house, manhandled him and attempted to snatch his mobile phones. When Prof Geelani asked to see the written orders sanctioning this action, he was told that there were no written orders. The members of the Special Cell continued to occupy his residence and intimidate him and his family for five hours. They left his house only when journalists who learnt of this incident arrived at his residence. The Special Cell personnel have continued to loiter outside his house since then.

We the undersigned teachers of Delhi University unequivocally and vehemently condemn the attempt to gag, harass and intimidate Prof Geelani and his family. The harassment began on the 9th of February 2013 after the hanging of Afzal Guru, when Prof Geelani was first illegally detained in the Special Cell office for a day, and then placed under house arrest. This harassment has only intensified since that day. Prof Geelani has been openly and explicitly critical of the execution of Afzal Guru, and the police action is an undisguised attempt to censor and silence him.

We demand the immediate removal of the Special Cell members from the vicinity of his house and the discontinuation of all modes of harassment, intimidation and gagging by agencies of the Indian state.